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Focal adhesion kinase is expressed in acantholytic keratinocytes associated with pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus.

Focal adhesion kinase is a protein-tyrosine kinase that is found in cellular contact sites and is phosphorylated in response to cell attachment. It is possible that the immunohistochemical detection of this enzyme might be increased in keratinocytes involved in an acantholytic process. Normal skin, pemphigus vulgaris and foliaceus, Darier's disease, Hailey--Hailey disease, warty dyskeratoma, Grover's disease and spongiotic dermatitis were assayed for the immunohistochemical expression of focal adhesion kinase. Focal adhesion kinase was not observed in normal epidermis. This antigen was observed in keratinocytes adjacent to acantholytic spaces and in acantholytic cells in pemphigus vulgaris and foliaceus. Focal adhesion kinase was not detected in keratinocytes involved in focal acantholytic dyskeratoses such as Darier's disease, Grover's disease and warty dyskeratoma but was weakly detected in Hailey--Hailey disease. One consequence of immunologically mediated acantholysis is the upregulation of focal adhesion kinase possibly as a component of biochemical pathways that reconstruct the process of adhesion or respond to the process of acantholysis.

Acantholysis↗

The catalytic activity of Src is dispensable for translocation to focal adhesions but controls the turnover of these structures during cell motility.

The Src family of protein tyrosine kinases is involved in transducing signals at sites of cellular adhesion. In particular, the v-Src oncoprotein resides in cellular focal adhesions, where it induces tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125FAK and focal adhesion loss during transformation. v-Src is translocated to cellular focal adhesions by an actin-dependent process. Here we have used mutant v-Src proteins that are temperature-dependent for translocation, but with secondary mutations that render them constitutively kinase-inactive or myristylation-defective, to show that neither v-Src kinase activity nor a myristyl group are required to induce association of v-Src with actin stress fibres and redistribution to sites of focal adhesions at the stress fibre termini. Moreover, switching the constitutively kinase-inactive or myristylation-defective temperature-sensitive v-Src proteins to the permissive temperature resulted in concomitant association with tyrosine-phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) and redistribution of both to focal adhesions. However, both catalytic activity and myristylation-mediated membrane association are required to induce dissociation of pp125FAK from v-Src, later degradation of pp125FAK and focal adhesion turnover during transformation and cell motility. These observations provide strong evidence that the role of the tyrosine kinase activity of the Src family at sites of cellular focal adhesions is to regulate the turnover of these structures during cell motility.

Animals↗

Mitosis specific serine phosphorylation and downregulation of one of the focal adhesion protein, paxillin.

Mitotic cells typically lack well-formed focal adhesions. As an approach to explore the dynamic process regulating the focal adhesion assembly, we examined states of focal adhesion proteins during mitosis of the cell cycle. We found that the amount of paxillin was significantly reduced during mitosis of the cell cycle, whereas other focal adhesion proteins including talin, vinculin and Focal Adhesion Kinase did not. Proteolytic degradation appeared to be involved in the mitotic reduction, but transcriptional and/or translational controls of the mRNA were not essential for this downregulation. Moreover, concurrent with the decreased protein level, phosphorylation status of paxillin altered during mitosis; mitotic paxillin was phosphorylated primarily on serine and dephosphorylated on tyrosine while interphase one was phosphorylated both on serine and tyrosine. We found that mitotic phosphorylation created an electrophoretically slow-migrating population of paxillin which was barely detected in interphase cells. This mitotic specific modification occurred with both alpha and beta isoforms of paxillin. We also examined the fate of paxillin protein by changing its protein amount. We found that majority of paxillin overexpressed was subjected to the specific modification but not to the downregulation in the mitotic arrested cells. On the other hand, paxillin exogenously expressed at a moderate level was subjected to both the mitotic modification and downregulation. Collectively, we concluded that paxillin's specific serine phosphorylation together with the proteolytic downregulation of a limited fraction of paxillin is taken place during the mitosis of the cell cycle.

Animals↗

Focal adhesion kinase is involved in mechanosensing during fibroblast migration.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase localized at focal adhesions and is believed to mediate adhesion-stimulated effects. Although ablation of FAK impairs cell movement, it is not clear whether FAK might be involved in the guidance of cell migration, a role consistent with its putative regulatory function. We have transfected FAK-null fibroblasts with FAK gene under the control of the tetracycline repression system. Cells were cultured on flexible polyacrylamide substrates for the detection of traction forces and the application of mechanical stimulation. Compared with control cells expressing wild-type FAK, FAK-null cells showed a decrease in migration speed and directional persistence. In addition, whereas FAK-expressing cells responded to exerted forces by reorienting their movements and forming prominent focal adhesions, FAK-null cells failed to show such responses. Furthermore, FAK-null cells showed impaired responses to decreases in substrate flexibility, which causes control cells to generate weaker traction forces and migrate away from soft substrates. Cells expressing Y397F FAK, which cannot be phosphorylated at a key tyrosine site, showed similar defects in migration pattern and force-induced reorientation as did FAK-null cells. However, other aspects of F397-FAK cells, including the responses to substrate flexibility and the amplification of focal adhesions upon mechanical stimulation, were similar to that of control cells. Our results suggest that FAK plays an important role in the response of migrating cells to mechanical input. In addition, phosphorylation at Tyr-397 is required for some, but not all, of the functions of FAK in cell migration.

Animals↗

Characterization of tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin in vitro by focal adhesion kinase.

The concomitant tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion protein, paxillin, and the tyrosine kinase, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), in response to multiple stimuli including integrin-mediated cell adhesion suggests that paxillin phosphorylation is closely coupled to FAK activity. In the present study, we have identified a specific tyrosine residue within paxillin, tyrosine 118 (Tyr-118), that represents the principle site of phosphorylation by FAK in vitro. The identification of this site as a target for FAK phosphorylation was accomplished by immunoprecipitating FAK and performing in vitro kinase assays, using as substrate either glutathione S-transferase (GST)-paxillin fusion proteins containing truncations in paxillin sequence or fusion proteins with phenylalanine substitutions for tyrosine residues. GST-paxillin containing a phenylalanine substitution at Tyr-118 (Y118F) was not phosphorylated by FAK immunoprecipitates; however, this mutant was shown to bind FAK equally as well as the wild type fusion protein. As a first step toward assessing the function of paxillin phosphorylation on Tyr-118, a Y118F paxillin cDNA construct was transiently transfected into NIH 3T3 cells. Similar to wild type paxillin, mutated paxillin localized to focal adhesions, indicating that the phosphorylation of paxillin on Tyr-118 is not essential for the recruitment of paxillin to sites of cell adhesion.

3T3 Cells↗

Thrombospondin induces RhoA inactivation through FAK-dependent signaling to stimulate focal adhesion disassembly.

Cells utilize dynamic interactions with the extracellular matrix to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) induces focal adhesion disassembly and cell migration through a sequence (hep I) in its heparin-binding domain signaling through the calreticulin-low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein receptor complex. This involves the Galphai-dependent activation of ERK and phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, both of which are required for focal adhesion disassembly. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) regulates adhesion dynamics, acting in part by modulating RhoA activity, and FAK is implicated in ERK and PI 3-kinase activation. In this work, we sought to determine the role of FAK in TSP1-induced focal adhesion disassembly. TSP1/hep I does not stimulate focal adhesion disassembly in FAK knockout fibroblasts, whereas re-expressing FAK rescues responsiveness. Inhibiting FAK signaling through FRNK or FAK Y397F expression in endothelial cells also abrogates this response. TSP1/hep I stimulates a transient increase in FAK phosphorylation that requires calreticulin and Galphai, but not ERK or PI 3-kinase. Hep I does not activate ERK or PI 3-kinase in FAK knockout fibroblasts, suggesting activation occurs downstream of FAK. TSP1/hep I stimulates RhoA inactivation with kinetics corresponding to focal adhesion disassembly in a FAK, ERK, and PI 3-kinase-dependent manner. Furthermore, hep I does not stimulate focal adhesion disassembly in cells expressing constitutively active RhoA, suggesting that RhoA inactivation is required for this response. This is the first work to illustrate a connection between FAK phosphorylation in response to a soluble factor and RhoA inactivation, as well as the first report of PI 3-kinase and ERK in FAK regulation of RhoA activity.

Animals↗

Crystallization and phasing of focal adhesion protein 52 from Gallus gallus.

Focal adhesion protein 52 (FAP52) is a multidomain adaptor protein of 448 amino acids characterized as an abundant component of focal adhesions. FAP52 binds to filamin via its N-terminal alpha-helical domain, suggesting a role in linking focal adhesions to the actin-based cytoskeleton. The recombinant protein was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method, which yielded two crystal forms. Native data were collected from both crystal forms to 2.8 and 2.1 A resolution, respectively. For one of the crystal forms, initial MAD phasing was successfully performed using two data sets from xenon-derivatized crystals. The derivative data sets were collected using softer X-rays of 1.5 and 1.9 A wavelength. Preliminary structural analysis reveals the presence of a dimer in the asymmetric unit.

Animals↗

Rigidity of collagen fibrils controls collagen gel-induced down-regulation of focal adhesion complex proteins mediated by alpha2beta1 integrin.

Previous studies have shown that collagen gel overlay induced selective proteolysis of focal adhesion complex proteins in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In this study, we examined whether morphological and biochemical changes were present in cells cultured on collagen gel. We found that focal adhesion complex proteins, including focal adhesion kinase (FAK), talin, paxillin, and p130cas, but not vinculin, were decreased within 1 h when MDCK cells were cultured on collagen gel. Collagen gel-induced selective decrease of focal adhesion proteins was observed in all lines of cells examined, including epithelial, fibroblastic, and cancer cells. Matrigel also induced selective down-regulation of focal adhesion proteins. However, cells cultured on collagen gel- or matrigel-coated dishes did not show any changes of focal adhesion proteins. These data suggest that the physical nature of the gel, i.e. the rigidity, is involved in the expression of focal adhesion proteins. The collagen gel-induced down-regulation of focal adhesion complex proteins was caused by reduction of protein synthesis and activation of proteases such as calpain. Overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) or FAK-related non-kinase (FRNK) did not prevent collagen gel-induced down-regulation of the focal adhesion complex protein, whereas an anti-alpha2beta1 integrin-neutralizing antibody completely blocked it. Taken together, our results indicate that the rigidity of collagen gel controls the expression of focal adhesion complex proteins, which is mediated by alpha2beta1 integrin but not DDR1.

3T3 Cells↗

Quantitative methods for analysis of integrin binding and focal adhesion formation on biomaterial surfaces.

Integrin binding and focal adhesion assembly are critical to cellular responses to biomaterial surfaces in biomedical and biotechnological applications. While immunostaining techniques to study focal adhesion assembly are well established, a crucial need remains for quantitative methods for analyzing adhesive structures. We present simple yet robust approaches to quantify integrin binding and focal adhesion assembly on biomaterial surfaces. Integrin binding to fibronectin and a RGD-containing synthetic peptide was quantified by sequentially cross-linking integrin-ligand complexes via a water-soluble homo-bifunctional cross-linker, extracting bulk cellular components in detergent, and detecting bound integrins by ELISA. Focal adhesion components (vinculin, talin, alpha-actinin) localized to adhesion plaques were isolated from bulk cytoskeletal and cytoplasmic components by mechanical rupture at a plane close to the basal cell surface and quantified by Western blotting. These approaches represent simple and efficient methodologies to analyze structure-function relationships in cell-material interactions.

3T3 Cells↗

The SH3 domain directs acto-myosin-dependent targeting of v-Src to focal adhesions via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

The v-Src oncoprotein is translocated to integrin-linked focal adhesions, where its tyrosine kinase activity induces adhesion disruption and cell transformation. We previously demonstrated that the intracellular targeting of Src is dependent on the actin cytoskeleton, under the control of the Rho family of small G proteins. However, the assembly of v-Src into focal adhesions does not require its catalytic activity or myristylation-dependent membrane association. Here, we report that the SH3 domain is essential for the assembly of focal adhesions containing the oncoprotein by mediating a switch from a microtubule-dependent, perinuclear localization to actin-associated focal adhesions; furthermore, v-Src translocation to focal adhesions requires myosin activity, at least under normal conditions when the actin cytoskeleton is being dynamically regulated. Although the SH3 domain of v-Src is also necessary for its association with focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which is often considered a likely candidate mediator of focal adhesion targeting via its carboxy-terminal targeting sequence, we show here that binding to FAK is not essential for the targeting of v-Src to focal adhesions. The p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase also associates with v-Src in an SH3-dependent manner, but in this case inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity suppressed assembly of focal adhesions containing the oncoprotein. Thus, the Src SH3 domain, which binds PI 3-kinase and which is necessary for activation of Akt downstream, is required for the actin-dependent targeting of v-Src to focal adhesions.

3T3 Cells↗

Focal adhesion formation is associated with secretion of allergic mediators.

Adherence of cells to the extracellular matrix via focal adhesions is known to modulate many cellular functions. However, the role of focal adhesions in the regulation of secretion is unclear. To examine this we have used the RBL-2H3 rat mast cell line, in which we and others have observed cytoskeletal rearrangements and increased cell spreading during secretion. All activators of secretion examined, whether acting specifically through or bypassing the IgE-receptor, induced the assembly of focal adhesions, as defined by the localization of vinculin and talin. The extent of focal adhesion formation correlated with the extent of secretion and the time course of secretion also correlated with that of the assembly of focal adhesions. To examine the mechanism by which focal adhesion formation occurred, the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide was used. Bisindolylmaleimide caused complete inhibition of both secretion and focal adhesion formation induced by antigen or the calcium ionophore A23187. Although PMA did not induce secretion, it induced focal adhesion assembly which was inhibited by bisindolylmaleimide. The inhibitor had no effect on secretion or focal adhesion formation induced by the ATP analogue, ATP gamma S in permeabilized cells, indicating ATP gamma S acts after the activation of protein kinase C in the secretory pathway. These data provide novel evidence that the formation of focal adhesions may have a role in the process of secretion from mast cells.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Neurotensin causes tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase in lung cancer cells.

The effects of neurotensin on focal adhesion kinase were investigated using lung cancer cells. Neurotensin bound with high affinity to large cell carcinoma cell line NCI-H1299 as did neurotensin-(8-13), but not neurotensin-(1-7) or levocabastine. Addition of 100 nM neurotensin to NCI-H1299 cells caused transient tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase which was maximal after 1-2.5 min. Also, neurotensin-(8-13), but not neurotensin-(1-8) or levocabastine, caused tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase after addition to NCI-H1299 cells. Focal adhesion kinase tyrosine phosphorylation caused by neurotensin was inhibited by the nonpeptide neurotensin receptor antagonist (2-(1-(7-chloroquinolin-4-yl)-5-(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonyl)amino)-adamantane-2-carboxylic acid) (SR48692). SR48692 inhibited the clonal growth of NCI-H1299 cells, whereas neurotensin-stimulated proliferation and levocabastine had no effect. These results indicate that lung cancer cells have functional neurotensin receptors which regulate focal adhesion kinase tyrosine phosphorylation. It remains to be determined if neurotensin receptors and focal adhesion kinase plays a role in lung cancer cellular adhesion and migration.

Binding, Competitive↗

Microtubule-destabilizing agents induce focal adhesion structure disorganization and anoikis in cancer cells.

Microtubule disruption provokes cytoskeleton and cell adhesion changes whose importance for apoptosis induction remains unclear. The present study focuses on the functional and the molecular adhesion kinetics that are induced by microtubule disruption-mediated apoptosis. We showed that antimicrotubules induce a biphasic sequence of adhesion response that precedes the onset of apoptosis and focal adhesion kinase hydrolysis. Antimicrotubules first induced an increase of the cellular adhesion paralleled by the raise of focal adhesion sites and actin contractility, which was followed by a sharp decrease of cell adhesion and disorganization of focal adhesion and actin stress fibers. The latter sequence of events ends by cell rounding, detachment from the extracellular matrix, and cell death. Microtubule-disrupting agents induced a sustained paxillin phosphorylation, before the activation of apoptosis, that requires the prior activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 but not c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. Interestingly, integrin-linked kinase overexpression rescued the antimicrotubule-mediated loss of cell viability. Altogether, these results propound that antimicrotubule agents induce anoikis through the loss of focal adhesion structure integrity.

Animals↗

Resveratrol and estradiol exert disparate effects on cell migration, cell surface actin structures, and focal adhesion assembly in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.

Resveratrol, a grape polyphenol, is thought to be a cancer preventive, yet its effects on metastatic breast cancer are relatively unknown. Since cancer cell invasion is dependent on cell migration, the chemotactic response of MDA-MB-231 metastatic human breast cancer cells to resveratrol, estradiol (E2), or epidermal growth factor (EGF) was investigated. Resveratrol decreased while E2 and EGF increased directed cell migration. Resveratrol may inhibit cell migration by altering the cytoskeleton. Resveratrol induced a rapid global array of filopodia and decreased focal adhesions and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity. E2 or EGF treatment did not affect filopodia extension but increased lamellipodia and associated focal adhesions that are integral for cell migration. Combined resveratrol and E2 treatment resulted in a filopodia and focal adhesion response similar to resveratrol alone. Combined resveratrol and EGF resulted in a lamellipodia and focal adhesion response similar to EGF alone. E2 and to a lesser extent resveratrol increased EGFR activity. The cytoskeletal changes and EGFR activity in response to E2 were blocked by EGFR1 inhibitor indicating that E2 may increase cell migration via crosstalk with EGFR signaling. These data suggest a promotional role for E2 in breast cancer cell migration but an antiestrogenic, preventative role for resveratrol.

Actins↗

Characterization of a focal adhesion protein, Hic-5, that shares extensive homology with paxillin.

Paxillin is a focal adhesion scaffolding protein which was originally identified as a substrate of the oncogenic tyrosine kinase, v-src. Paxillin has been proposed to be involved in regulation of focal adhesion dynamics. Two alternatively spliced mouse paxillin cDNAs were cloned and in the process, a paxillin-related protein, Hic-5, was also identified. Cloning and characterization of Hic-5 indicates that this protein shares extensive homology with paxillin. Although Hic-5 was originally characterized as a TGF-beta-inducible gene and proposed to be a transcription factor involved in senescence, the studies here demonstrate that Hic-5 is localized to focal adhesion in REF52 cells and can interact with the focal adhesion proteins, Fak, Frnk, and vinculin. In addition, like paxillin, Hic-5 can bind to a negative regulator of Src PTKs, csk but does not bind to the adaptor protein Crk. Like paxillin, localization of this protein to focal adhesions is mediated primarily by the LIM domains; however, sequences outside the LIM domains also play a minor role in focal adhesion targeting. These results suggest that Hic-5 like paxillin could be involved in regulation of focal adhesion dynamics and raise the possibility that Hic-5 and paxillin could have overlapping or opposing functions in the overall regulation of cell growth and differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Adhesion-linked kinases in cancer; emphasis on src, focal adhesion kinase and PI 3-kinase.

Our understanding of the complex signal transduction pathways involved in signalling within cancer cells, between cancer cells and between cancer cells and their environment has increased dramatically in recent years. Here we concentrate on three non-receptor kinases: Src, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase). These form part of a complex network of intracellular signals which is thought to be important in regulating cancer cells.

Cell Adhesion↗

Expression, purification and characterization of focal adhesion kinase using a baculovirus system.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has been overexpressed in insect cells using a baculovirus expression system. A recombinant baculovirus was generated which contains the mouse FAK cDNA cloned into a histidine tag transfer vector. Synthesis of the immunoreactive recombinant protein (baculovirus focal adhesion kinase (BFAK) Mr approximately 125,000) in infected Sf9 cells was detected 23 h postinfection, with maximal accumulation occurring at 48 h postinfection. BFAK constituted 5.4% of total soluble protein in the insect cell lysate and represented 19 mg/liter culture (approximately 2 x 10(9) cells). The enzyme was active as a protein tyrosine kinase in both SF9 cells and in vitro. Purification to near homogeneity was achieved by nickel chelation chromatography. A yield of 5 mg of purified active BFAK was consistently produced from 1 liter of infected insect cells. BFAK tyrosine kinase activity was characterized physically using poly(Glu-Tyr) as a substrate. BFAK activity required the presence of a divalent cation and exhibited a preference for Mn2+ over Mg2+. Maximal tyrosine kinase activity was attained at pH 7.2. Steady-state kinetic analysis with respect to ATP concentration did not conform to simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics and exhibited a Hill coefficient of much less than 1. Km values for ATP using native and autophosphorylated BFAK were 6.7 +/- 1.0 and 4.3 +/- 0.2 microM, respectively. Kcat values were 13.9 +/- 1.9 and 8.9 +/- 0.3 nmol/min/mg BFAK. Steady-state kinetics with respect to the peptide substrate did fit the Michaelis-Menten equation and exhibited a Km value of 2.4 +/- 0.3 micro/ml.

Animals↗

Fibroblast growth factor-2 induces the activation of Src through Fes, which regulates focal adhesion disassembly.

Cell migration is regulated by focal adhesion (FA) turnover. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) induces FA disassembly in the murine brain capillary endothelial cell line IBE, leading to FGF-2-directed chemotaxis. We previously showed that activation of Src and Fes by FGF-2 was involved in chemotaxis of IBE cells. In this study, we examined the interplay between Src and Fes. FGF-2 treatment decreased the number of FA in IBE cells, but not in cells expressing dominant-negative Fes (denoted KE5-15 cells). FGF-2 induced the activation of Src and subsequent binding to and phosphorylation of Cas in IBE cells, but not in KE5-15 cells. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation and tyrosine phosphorylation by Src were also delayed in KE5-15 cells compared to parental cells. FGF-2 induced activation of Src within FA in IBE cells, but not in KE5-15 cells. Downregulation of Fes or FAK using small interfering RNA diminished Src activation by FGF-2 within FA. These findings suggest that activation of Fes by FGF-2 enhances FAK-dependent activation of Src within FA, promoting FGF-2-induced disassembly of focal adhesions.

Animals↗